The present invention relates to an expandable container, especially for use as a workroom, with a adjustable vole.
One container of this type is known, e.g., from European publication EP 0 682 156 B1. That container comprises a base container and one or more expansion elements for expanding the made space, which can be drawn out or extended from the container. The expansion elements are box-shaped and closed on all sides—with the exception of the open side that faces the bass container. In order to achieve a flat floor inside the container when the expansion elements are extended, a lowering or hoisting device is provided, with which the expansion elements can be lowered such that, after they have been lowered, the floors of the base container and the expansion element(s) are at the same height.
The gaps in the base container that are created by the extension and lowering (due to the panel thicknesses of the floor and roof elements of the expansion elements) must be closed off by means of flaps and suitable seals,
Long seals create problems in terms of the use of expandable containers, especially when requirements for ABC seal tightness and HF shielding are involved.
In embodiments in which two expansion elements are used, the dimensions of the two expansion elements must be selected to maximize the floor space of the workroom such that one expansion element can be inserted into the other expansion element. Since, for logistical reasons (i.e. truck transport, air transport capability) the containers ordinarily may not significantly eyed a height of 8′ (2,440 mm), the headroom (inside height), especially in the smaller of the two expansion elements, is relatively low (ca. 190 cm or less). In workrooms that are to be used by people standing upright, or in which people will be moving about a great deal, this is considered too low.
It is thus an object of the invention to improve upon an expandable container of the type described above such that the headroom (inside height) in the working area and the traffic area is improved without negatively altering the advantageous properties of these containers.
This object is attained by way of an adjustable volume container including a base container with a floor panel and a roof panel, and a box-shaped expansion element that can be extended from the base container, and which includes a floor panel, a roof panel, an open side that is open to the base container, a front panel that is opposite the open side, and two side panels. The container also has a device with which the box-shaped expansion element can be lowered such that, once the expansion element has been extended, the floor panel of the expansion element and the base container are at the same height, and with which the expansion element can be Fed such that, once the expansion element has been lowered, it can be reverted into the base container. The roof panel of the box-shaped expansion element is designed such that it can be folded along a horizontal axis on an upper edge of the front panel of the expansion element. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the object of further claim.
According to the invention, the roof panel of a box-shaped expansion element is designed such that it can be folded about a horizontal alas on the upper edge of the front panel of the expansion element. When the expansion element has been extended, the roof panel can be folded upward along this axis and fastened to the base container. This results in an enlarged inside height in the main working and traffic areas of the container, so that concentrated work and movement are enabled without special restrictions, even for tall adults.
Advantageously, supplementary surface elements are provided, with which the gaps or holes between the side panels and the roof panel of a box-shaped expansion element that are created by the folding up of the roof panel can be closed off. In this manner, an inside space that is completely sealed off from the outside is created. As will be shown in detail below, this space can be easily sealed so that requirements for ABC seal tightness and HF shielding can be properly fulfilled,
To this end, the folding roof panels are attached via sealing elements to the adjacent surface elements of the container.
A process of enlarging main working and traffic areas of a container is also claimed.
The following advantages in particular are associated with the invention:                Expanded headroom (inside height);        Simple sealing, short sealing elements;        Improved runoff of rain and snow on the outer roof surfaces of the expansion elements;        Improved cleaning and clearing of the outer roof surfaces of the expansion elements.        
These advantages of the invention are disclosed in the follow description of a concrete exemplary embodiment, with reference to the drawings.